Container and venting closure cap for same



Sept. 5, 1967 D. o. BIGLIN CONTAINER AND VENTING CLOSURE CAP FOR SAMEFiled June 23, 1965 'IIII/ IIIIII 16 INVENTOR. DUANE 0. BJGZJN 3 W 71 QQ OJ .0. AT T ORN E Y6 United States Patent Ofiice 3,339,786 CONTAINERAND VENTING CLOSURE CAP FOR SAME Duane O. Biglin, Toledo, Ohio, assignorto Owens- Illinois, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed June 23, 1965,Ser. No. 466,193 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-44) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Acontainer and closure cap combination wherein the container has a flaredupper neck section comprising an annular bead of relatively largecross-section providing axially spaced apart upper and lower wallsextending radially, and a thermoplastic closure cap fitting over thebead with a panel in sealing contact with the upper wall and an inwardextension on the cap skirt in holding engagement with the lower wall,together with ribs or other venting means formed internally of the capskirt.

The present invention which basically is disclosed in my copendingapplication, Ser. No. 466,194, filed June 23, 1965, relates tothermoplastic containers and venting closure caps for same.

More particularly, the invention pertains to plastic or thermoplasticcontainers and closure caps which incorporate novel means for ventinggases from the containers to the atmosphere, while maintaining whollysatisfactory sealing of the package for all practical purposes. Accordingly, I have provided both a container and closure cap which are formedfrom relatively thin sheet thermoplastic material, the specific designbeing such that the closure caps may not only be readily stacked, ornested, for handling, but also are very largely self-centering duringtheir application to the containers, thus facilitating and materiallyspeeding up the capping operation.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a novel ventingmeans which also contributes very importantly to strengthening andstiffening of the closure, this being a distinct advantage since the capis formed of very thin, normally highly flexible thermoplastic sheeting,as stated above.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed outhereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of my application:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of a container andclosure cap embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the manner in which closure capsembodying my invention may be nested or stacked;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of one of the closure caps;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong the plane of line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line55 of FIG. 1.

In that form of my invention illustrated herein, the container 10, whichmay be formed of a thin sheet of thermoplastic materal, comprises abottom 11, preferably of circular form, there being an upstandingannular side Wall 12 rising from the periphery or margin of the bottomand terminating at its upper end as a flared annular section 13 ofupwardly increasing radial thickness. Thus there is provided an internalsloping guiding surface 14, which, as will become evident, aids instacking, as well as in initial positioning of the closure cap relativeto the mouth of the container. A substantially thickened annular bead 15is formed integral with and at the upper end of the thickened upperportion of the annular section 13, present- 3,339, ;8'6 Patented Sept.5, 1967 ing a flat circular rim 16 or top wall, and an annular verticalside wall 17 which merges with a lower radial annular Wall 18 extendinginwardly toward the flared section 13. I

The closure cap 20, which, as stated, may be formed from thin sheetthermoplastic material of very light Weight, comprises a depressedcentral panel portion 21, or top wall, having an annular internalstiffening rib 22, near its periphery. An upstanding annular wall 23rising from the margin of the panel tapers slightly upwardly andinwardly and merges at its upper end With a radial annular shelf 24.From the outer margin of this shelf 24 rises a vertical annular wall 25which is spaced radially inward from a depending external annular wall26, these two walls 25 and 26 being joined together by a top wall 27,the latter intended to very firmly or intimately contact theaforementioned rim 16 of the container. These walls 25 and 26 togetherwith the top wall 27 create an inverted annular channel to looselyaccommodate or straddle the aforementioned head 15, the loose fit beingadvantageous in assembling, as is apparent.

In order to securely retain the closure on the container, yet permiteasy removal, when desired, an inwardly downwardly tapered extension 28or lip is provided at the lower margin of the outer wall 26 to snuglyengage the annular corner 29 at the juncture of the radial lower wall 18and the side wall 17. An annular flared extension 30 at the lower marginof the inwardly tapered lip 28 provides means aiding both in nesting ofa stack of closures and in removal of closures from their containers, asis believed apparent.

Venting of gases from the closed containers is obtained by providingminute radial ribs 31, or beads, across the interior surface of the topwall 27 exterior side wall 26, and the inwardly tapered extension 28 orlip. Thus, while the spaces created by the small ribs are such that theproduct cannot leak through to the outside, if excessive internal gaspressure should develop, it can freely escape to the atmosphere. Anydesired number of these ribs may be utilized and their specificdimensions will, of course, be dictated by the particular circumstancesprevailing with respect to the product being packaged, etc.

It is believed to be evident that the venting ribs 31, being on theouter diameter of the attaching skirt or channel portion, the strengthand rigidity of the sealing area will be materially increased. Also, thedepressed central panel and tapered wall therearound, function quiteeffectively as a pilot during closure cap application, as well as ameans for facilitating delivery of the caps through automatic cappingequipment.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A closure cap comprising a top wall, an upstanding annular side wallat the periphery of said top wall, means in a plane above said top walland in part above the plane of the side wall and radially outward fromboth Walls forming an annular downwardly facing channel, said channelhaving an outer wall formed with an annular inwardly downwardly inclinedextension to function as part of means for retaining the closure cap ona container, venting means formed internally of at least a portion ofsaid channel comprising a plurality of radial ribs of minute size formedon the interior surface of the top and outer walls of the channel andthe container engaging surface of inclined extension and an annulardownwardly outwardly inclined straight extension at the lower margin ofthe inclined extension to facilitate both nesting of a stack ofclosure'caps and their removal from containers.

2. In combination, a wide-mouth container formed of -a thermoplasticmaterial and comprising a circular bottom, an annular upstanding wallhaving a flared upper section of upwardly increasing radial thickness,an annular bead of substantial cross-section at the upper margin of theflared section, said bead having a fiat top rim and an annular radialwall spaced below said rim and extending inwardly toward the upstandingwall, a closure cap formed of a thermoplastic material and comprising apanel portion receivable in the container mouth, an inverted annularchannel-like member near and integral with the panel portion, tostraddle said bead, a sloping inwardly directed extension depending fromthe channel member for holding engagement with the annular radial wall,and venting means internally of the channel and sloping extension. I

3. A combination as defined in claim 2, the venting means being at leastone radial rib extending across the inner face of certain walls of thechannel and the interior face of the sloping extension which dependsfrom the 5 channel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,953,272 9/1960 Mumford etal215-41 3,112,841 12/1963 Martinelli 220-44 3,179,283 4/1965 Amberg220-97x THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A CLOSURE CAP COMPRISING A TOP WALL, AN UPSTANDING ANNULAR SIDE WALLAT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID TOP WALL, MEANS IN A PLANE ABOVE SAID TOP WALLAND IN PART ABOVE THE PLANE OF THE SIDE WALL AND RADIALLY OUTWARD FROMBOTH WALLS FORMING AN ANNULAR DOWNWARDLY FACING CHANNEL, SAID CHANNELHAVING AN OUTER WALL FORMED WITH AN ANNULAR INWARDLY DOWNWARDLY INCLINEDEXTENSION TO FUNCTION AS PART OF MEANS FOR RETAINING THE CLOSURE CAP ONA CONTAINER, VENTING MEANS FORMED INTERNALLY OF AT LEAST A PORTION OFSAID CHANNEL COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF RADIAL RIBS OF MINUTE SIZE FORMEDON THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE TOP AND OUTER WALLS OF THE CHANNEL ANDTHE CONTAINER ENGAGING SURFACE OF INCLINED EXTENSION AND AN ANNULARDOWNWARDLY OUTWARDLY INCLINED STRAIGHT EXTENSION AT THE LOWER MARGIN OFTHE INCLINED EXTENSION TO FACILIATATE BOTH NESTING OF A STACK OF CLOSURECAPS AND THEIR REMOVAL FROM CONTAINERS.